Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act – AODA

Background

o General

The Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), is a law passed by the Ontario legislature that allows the government to develop specific standards of accessibility and to enforce them.

o Purpose

The purpose of the accessibility standards is to improve accessibility and move organizations in Ontario forward on accessibility. Ontario will fully benefit from the contributions, involvement and spending power of people with disabilities.

Recognizing the history of discrimination against persons with disabilities in Ontario, the purpose of the AODA is to benefit all Ontarians by:

Developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025.

Providing for the involvement of persons with disabilities, the Government of Ontario and of representatives of industries and various sectors of the economy in the development of accessibility standards.

Oncidium Purpose and Policy Statement

The goal of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005, (the “Act”) is to create a more accessible Ontario, by identifying, and to the extent possible, preventing and eliminating barriers experienced by persons with a disability.

A standard for customer service (the “Standard”) has been established under the Act to ensure goods and services are, where at all possible, equally accessible to every member of the public.

Oncidium is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for our patients, customers, visitors and staff. The objective of the policy is to ensure that we meet the requirements of the Standard and promote its underlying core principles.

Application

The policy applies to all persons who, on behalf of Oncidium, deal with members of the public or other third parties. This includes our patients, customers, visitors, employees, volunteers, contractors, and physicians.

Key Terms

o Assistive Device – any device used to assist a person in performing a particular task or tasks or to aid that person in activities of daily living

o Barrier – term barrier means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, examples include:

Attitudinal barriers are those that discriminate against people with disabilities. For example, thinking that people with disabilities are inferior or assuming that a person who has a speech impairment can’t understand you

Systemic barriers are usually an organizations’ policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities

Information/Communications barriers happen when a person can’t easily understand information. For example, the print is too small to read, websites that can’t be accessed by people with various disabilities, signs that are not clear

Technological barrier occur when a technology can’t be modified to support various assistive devices, for example a website that doesn’t support screen-reading software.

Architectural/Physical barriers are features of buildings or spaces that cause problems for people with disabilities. Examples include: narrow hallways or doorways that don’t allow wheelchairs, scooters or walkers, poor lighting for people with low vision, unequipped telephones for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

o Disability – the definition for disability for purposes of the AODA is the same definition used by the Human Rights Commission:

any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,

a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability

a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language

a mental disorder, or

an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997;

o Service Animal – an animal is a service animal for a person with a disability if it is readily apparent that the animal is uses by the person for reason relating to his or her disability; or if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

o Support Person – a person who accompanies a person with a disability to assist with communications, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services.

o All goods and services provided by Oncidium shall follow the principles of Dignity, Independence, Integration and Equal Opportunity.

Dignity – Persons with a disability must be treated as valued customers as deserving of service as any other customer

Equality of Opportunity – Persons with a disability should be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from our good and services.

Integration – wherever possible, persons with a disability should benefit from our goods and services in the same place and in the same manner as any other customer. In circumstances where integration does not service the need of the person with a disability, goods and services will, to the extent possible, be provided in another way that takes into account the person’s individual needs.

Independence – goods and services must be provided in a way that respects the independence of persons with a disability. To this end, we will always be willing to assist a person with a disability but will not do so without the express permission of the person.

Implementation

o Oncidium has created an Accessibility Committee responsible for

Developing and implementing policies, practices and procedures to ensure the accessible provision of goods and services to persons with a disability

Developing and implementing an accessibility training program as required under the Act

Developing a feedback procedure as required under the Act

Filing Accessibility Reports as required under Section 14 of the Act

Oncidium General Principles

o The Provision of Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities

- Oncidium will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity by:

Ensuring that all patients and visitors receive the same value and quality;

Allowing customers with disabilities to do things in their own ways, at their own pace when accessing goods and services as long as this does not present a safety risk

Using alternative methods when possible to ensure that customers with disabilities have access to the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner;

Taking into account individual needs when providing goods and services; and

Communicating in a manner that takes into account the customer’s disability

o Communication

- Communication is a process of providing, sending receiving and understanding information. Staff of the Oncidium will strive to communicate with persons with a disability in a manner that takes into account the disability with consideration for the core principles of the policy. Approaches for communication are set out in our accessibility training program.

o Assistive Devices

Persons with a disability are permitted, where possible, to use their own Assistive Device when on our premises for the purpurpose of obtaining, using or benefiting from our services.

If there is a physical, technological or other type of barrier that prevents the use of an Assistive Device on our premises, Oncidium will first endeavor to remove the barrier. If we are not able to remove the barrier, we will ask the person how he/she can be accommodated and what alternative methods of service would be more accessible to him/her. Oncidium will make best efforts to provide an alternative means of assistance to the person with a disability.

In cases where the assistive device may present a safety concern, Oncidium will be required to look at and implement other measure in order to ensure the customer still access to our services.

Staff has received training on guidelines for supporting persons with disabilities that use Assistive Devices.

o Service Animals

Persons with a disability may enter premises owned by the Oncidium accompanied by a Service Animal, and the keep the Service Animal with them, of the public has access to such premises and the Service Animal is not otherwise excluded by law.

The patient or visitor that is accompanied by a Service Animal is responsible for maintaining care and control of the animal at all times.

If it is not readily apparent that the animal is a Service Animal, Oncidium may ask the person for verification from the patient / visitor. Verifications may include:

A letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to his/her disability;

A valid identification card signed by the Attorney General of Canada;

A certificate of training form a recognized guide dog or service animal training school

4. If the needs or rights of a customer with a service animal compete with the needs and rights of another

individual, for example in the form of a severe allergy or religious beliefs, Oncidium will make all reasonable

efforts to meet the needs of all individuals.

5. Staff has received training on how to interact with persons with a disability accompanied by a Service Animal.

o Support Persons

A person with a disability may enter premises owned by the Oncidium with a Support Person and have access to the Support Person while on the premises.

A Support Person can be a paid worker, volunteer, family member or friend and does not necessarily require any special training or certification to offer support. Support Persons offer a wide range of assistance including interpretation, speaking on behalf of the patient or visitor, note taking, reading, guiding or directing the patient or visitor, transportation, personal care and communication.

If a patient or visitor with a disability is accompanied by a support person, Oncidium will ensure that both people are allowed to enter the premises together and that the customer is not prevented from access to the support person.

In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent should be obtained from the patient or visitor, prior to any conversation where confidential information might be discussed. Consent could range from a nod to a signed letter provided from the patient. When obtaining consent is should be in a manner that takes into account the customers disability.

Staff has received training on how to interact with persons with a disability who are accompanied by a Support Person.

o Notice of Disruptions

Oncidium will notify patients and visitors if there is a planned or unexpected disruption of a facility or services persons with a disability use to access our services. The notice will be posted at the entrance of the applicable premises and on the Oncidium’s Website www.oncidium.ca

Service disruptions can include but are not limited to: a broken elevator, closed facilities, cancelled appointments, sick employees

The notice will include the following information:

That a facility or service is unavailable.

The anticipated duration of the disruption

The reason for the disruption

Alternative facilities or services, if available

Documentation Statement

Policy and related practices and protocols, shall be made available to any member the public upon request. Notification of same shall be posted on Oncidium’s website, www.oncidium.ca and a conspicuous place at each location to which this policy applies (i.e. Ontario locations only).

Upon request Oncidium will provide documents, or the information contained within the documents, required to be provided under the Standard, to a person with a disability in a format to takes the person’s disability into account.

Training Program

Oncidium has been provided training to employees and other individuals who are in contact with patients and visitors in December 2014. This is included in the Oncidium Orientation Program for newly on boarded employees.

Training Records and Acknowledgement forms signed are logged for each staff member trained, and filed in their master Human Resources File.

Training includes:

An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act, 2005, and the requirements of the customer service standard.

Oncidium’s Policy and General Principles related to the Customer Service Standard

How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities

How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require assistance of a service animal or support person.

What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Oncidium services.

Feedback Process

Patients or Visitors who wish to provide feedback on the way Oncidium provides services to people with disabilities can contact Oncidium’s Disability Committee in the following ways:

2. All feedback will be directed to the Accessibility Coordinator for the Disability Committee or an appropriate

person in Human Resources.

3. Patients and Visitors can expect to hear back within 72 hours of receipt of feedback.

4. Complaints will be addressed according to the Oncidium’s regular complaint management procedures.

Modifications to this or other policies

Oncidium is committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Oncidium will consider the modification or removal of any policies that do not respect and promote the dignity of independence of people with disabilities on an ongoing basis.